Category: Training Advice

They say one should learn from one’s mistakes, but I think there is also much to learn when things go well too. Instead, the temptation is often to congratulate ourselves for our – wholly deserved, we are sure – success instead of critically examining what happened and see whether there is anything we can learn…

I am – once again – building up to a regular training regime after over three months of almost complete lack of training. Only this time I have learnt from the many times I’ve had to get back into training, and I am avoiding the traps of frustration, self-recrimination and unrealistic expectations. Instead I’m taking a more-long term, conscious approach, which – I hope – will lead me to building a more sustainable training programme.

As this is an area which does not get as much attention as “how to run your first marathon” or “how to run your fastest 5k ever!”, which have millions of articles and blogs written about them, I thought I would offer my thoughts for your amusement and profit.!

Not a brilliant couple of weeks’ running I am afraid… Bad nights’ sleep (Philip is transitioning seamlessly from a cold to teething!) and a cold of my own conspired to keep me under my weekly mileage and away from Parkruns so far this month. Still, I’ve managed three runs per week regardless, even if there…

You left me dear readers, basking in the onset of summer, and already there were indications that after my marathon training in the winter / early spring and the focus on speedwork in the late spring, summer was going to be much lazier… And indeed, in typical Sisyphean fashion I let my fitness roll down…

In my previous post on this subject I explained that my quest for an enjoyable and effective training approach led me to read “80 / 20 Running” by Matt Fitzgerald; that its main proposition (namely that best improvements in running performance are brought about by a training regime that is made up of 80% low…

I have mentioned in a few posts now how my whole running approach has changed after the Manchester Marathon in April and a few of you have asked to hear more about it. I’m not sure I have anything earth-shatteringly new to reveal that will change the sport of running forever, it’s more a case…